The VanDrie Group talks to: Louise Fresco

Agricultural and food expert, Chair of the Executive Board of Wageningen University & Research, Louise O, Fresco gave us an interview for our report about Coporate Social Responsibility.

HOW CAN THE VANDRIE GROUP CONTINUE TO PRODUCE VEAL PRODUCTS AS EFFECTIVELY AS POSSIBLE?

“It is important to emphasize that calves are a by-product of dairy farming. Utilizing a by-product is a good way of using natural resources. If you look at feeding the global population, animal proteins are of particular importance to children and the elderly. On the other hand, the dairy industry is important because it converts products we cannot digest into digestible proteins for human consumption, and that is important for the food chain as a whole. If you want to move towards a circular economy, there is still a role for the veal sector, unless – theoretically – you wanted to ban milk altogether.”

IF YOU LOOK AT THE SOCIAL, ECOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACT, WHERE CAN AND SHOULD THE VANDRIE GROUP MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

“Nowadays, every company is tasked with producing as sustainably as possible. This is a continuous process of finding a balance, examining the options and structuring them as effectively as possible. However, you cannot optimize everything. This is an ongoing subject of discussion inside any company. The VanDrie Group wants to produce animal proteins for a growing global population as efficiently and effectively as possible through veal farming. That needs to be done in a safe and sustainable manner that is affordable and animal-friendly. That is the challenge of People, Planet, Profit. These aspects are all inextricably linked to one another.”